Merry and Bright
by NakanoHana
Summary: Christmas fluff. Roxas chooses Christmas time to ask his boyfriend a big question.


A/N: Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year, hands down, but if you don't celebrate it, that's fine too. Best wishes and hopes to all the people of the world, whether they be Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Atheist, Agnostic, Hindu, Shinto, Buddhist, etc. Enjoy your respective holidays or just plain ole' days, and have a happy new year :)

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><p>Roxas smiled softly where he sat by the fire, poking and prodding it as he turned over a couple logs. The flames crackled and jumped in the hearth, and moments later, the fire was growing again, warm and bright. The blonde replaced the pokers in their stand and sat admiring it for a moment, taking in the smells of burning wood and pine that permeated throughout the house. Taking the stockings down earlier had been a bit of hassle for sure, but it had been well worth it. The entire house was glowing with light, and now it was warm and cozy. Perfect for Christmas.<p>

"Hmmmm...I could almost fall asleep right here..."

From out of nowhere, a hand on his shoulder startled him. "Ack!"

"No falling asleep, Rox! Mom wants help with the first batch of the cookies before everybody else gets here!"

Calming slowly, Roxas leveled a glare at the eager boy behind him. "Sora, can't you ever just talk to me like a normal person?"

"Nope!" he replied giddily. "It's Christmas! Why the hell would anyone want to be normal on Christmas?"

"At least be more careful," Roxas said, raising an eyebrow at his "mature" older brother. "If I had had my hand anywhere near that fire when you did that, I could have been badly burned. How'd you like to spend Christmas in the hospital with me?"

Sora winced. "No way, man! I don't love you that much!"

"Oh thanks a lot. Merry fucking Christmas to you too."

"I was just kidding, Rox. Geez! Still tense about Axel coming over?"

The blonde sighed deeply, nodding. He'd been thinking about this for a while now, ever since he'd gotten out of college. Axel had been his best friend all through middle school and high school, and even into college. Dating had been second nature once they found they were ready to take that step, and thankfully nothing big had changed when it came to spending time with other friends and family. The redhead was practically family to him, but much closer. Roxas blushed, remembering a few of their more exciting dates.

They had done plenty of things Roxas would never want to do with any family...

"Don't worry, it'll be fine!" Sora assured him, giving his younger brother a firm pat on the back. "Axel's gonna be totally psyched, you'll see!"

"How do you know?" the blonde asked, half hopeful, half resigned.

"I just do. You mean a lot to him, kid. Now stop worrying and come help with the cookies!" With that, Sora stood, turned on his heel, and sped off to the kitchen. "SUGAR!"

"Sora!" came a mildly annoyed voice from the upstairs kitchen. "Chill out young man, or you're not getting any!"

"Awwww! Mom! You can't do that!"

Roxas chuckled a little, standing slowly and closing the little gate over the fireplace. He watched sparks pop and crackle for a few minutes more, then turned and went up the stairs. He sincerely hoped the butterflies would go away soon. Sora was probably right anyways...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \ (O) / . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The family didn't need to wait long. Soon, the doorbell was ringing, coats were shed, and presents were shoved under the piney branches of the tree.

"Riku, pass the frosting!"

"I think you've had plenty, Sora."

"I'm not gonna eat it! I want to draw a poinsettia on this one!"

Mrs. Thompson frowned at her oldest son, swatting at his head as she discarded her pot holder.

"You're not fooling anyone, sweetie. Nice try though." The whole room filled with giggles and smiles, as Sora swivled sideways in his chair and pouted. Kairi nudged him with an elbow playfully before throwing an arm around her sister.

"Sora, you are the most obvious boy I've ever met! You've been practically lusting after that frosting all night!"

Riku smirked and wrapped his arms around the smaller man, pulling him closer. "You better not be. I'm the only one you should be lusting after here."

"Boys, you know the rules. None of that talk in the kitchen."

Roxas shot Axel a grin before looking back at his mother. The kitchen was her "sanctuary" to escape gayatude, at least for the most part. It had taken some time to accept that both her sons were the way they were, and she still referred to her kitchen as the sex-free zone. Tonight it was dark, lit only by a few candles scattered about, as they all gathered around the kitchen table and made cookies. It was their first Christmas all together, because the twins' family was visiting relatives in California, Riku's dad was working late, and Axel, well, Axel had no relatives to spend the holiday with. The others had just joined in for one reason or another, but Roxas was glad they were all there. Especially Axel...

"If I can't use the frosting, what can I do?" Sora whined, still pouting even as Riku hoisted him from the chair and into his lap.

"Honey, why don't you be responsible for pulling the fresh cookies out of the oven?" The group around the table all looked up when the little ding went off. "Ah, there they are."

Still grumbling a bit, Sora slid off his boyfriend's lap and snatched the glove away from his mother. He stalked over to the oven just as Demyx leaned into the group, grinning like crazy.

"I say we start eating all the frosting just as he comes back. What do you say?"

"I'm not doing it," Kairi whined, as she poked a bit of muffin top that was hanging out over her jeans. "I'm getting fat enough as it is."

"Dem, that's mean. Just finish frosting your cookies," Riku said simply, not even bothering to raise his head from the little gingerbread man he was decorating. Everyone around the table chuckled, and as Mrs. Thompson went to answer the phone, talked about the general stuff. School, work, whatever. All things they needed to catch up on after their long break apart.

"Nami, how's old Larxy doing these days?"

The little blonde looked ready to answer, when her sister chimed in for her. "Still bitchy as ever. Even more crabby since she was forced to watch the house for the week. I think at this point we're just waiting for that big fight that makes her ditch our parents and move in with Marluxia already."

Demyx chuckled, narrowly squirting himself in the eye as he worked the cap off a pack of red frosting.

"Wow. So she's sure the guy is right for her?"

"Yep. Head over heels for him. Though she'd never admit it out loud." Kairi chuckled.

Roxas looked up from his decorating, only to notice Axel's ears were red. Curious, he shot the older man a look, who replied with a shy smile and a casual shrug of his broad shoulders. Guessing that he should think nothing more of it, the blonde returned to his cookie, trying and failing to draw a little green grinch on the sugary surface.

Sora was back at the table, letting his eyes shift back and forth three times before he reached for a tube of frosting. He didn't see the hand with the wooden spoon at the ready until it was too late.

"Ow! Riku! Who's side are you on?"

"The side who thinks you've had plenty of sugar for one night. You'll get to have cookies when we're done anyway, so sit down and chill out."

The brunet, grumbling to himself again, grabbed a different chair and sat down slightly away from his boyfriend. If it bothered him, no one could tell, as the older man was the textbook definition of stoic, even when drawing a christmas wreath in frosting on a sugar cookie.

"So Roxas, what's Cloud been up to these days? I haven't heard from him in a while."

The conversations carried on, and soon, their mother was back and starting a new tray of gingerbread cookies. Waiting for them to be ready, everyone scattered off to different rooms to hang out and wait. Roxas was the last one up, pushing his chair in slowly.

"Roxas, sweetie, before you go, could you be a dear and grab the coffee beans for me?"

The blonde blinked, then turned to his mother and deadpanned. "Mom, that's on the top shelf."

"So?"

"So you can get it."

"Please?"

"But Mom, you're taller than me!" he admitted grudgingly. The woman smiled.

"Please, sweetie? I have to check on the cookies."

Pulling out his chair again and taking it to the cabinet, the man grumbled. "That's bull."

"What, dear?"

"Nothing, Mom."

She waved the spatula at him threateningly. "That's what I thought you said."

Rolling his eyes at his lazy mother, Roxas dutifully retrieved the coffee beans and replaced the chair, before setting the small tub on the counter beside her.

"Have you asked Axel yet?"

The blonde bit his lip and reached idly for a plastic cup sitting above the washing machine. He fiddled with it with one hand absently.

"I've...thought about it. But I was hoping to ask him when we were away from the others."

"Well, why don't you go find him now?" she asked casually, opening the oven to peer inside. "Last I saw, he was the only one heading for the downstairs living room."

"Really? Thanks. I'll go do that." He slowly made his way downstairs, listening to the hum of the t.v. where the others were huddled watching Christmas specials. He smiled and paused at the top of the stairs. This was the holidays for him. Cuddling up by the fire or simply with people you loved, watching specials or watching the snow fall. The soft glow from the light of a pine tree decked out in lights and ornaments. It wasn't the presents, not really. It was the atmosphere he loved most at Christmas, and why he was almost sad to see the holiday go every year.

As promised, the redhead was seated downstairs, right where he had sat tending the fire. Roxas smiled. Axel had always loved fire. The way it glowed and warmed, and even the way it could burn and spread. It was powerful and beautiful at the same time. And, as corny as it sounded, Roxas supposed the same could be said of Axel.

So with a little blush of pink in his cheeks, that he quickly dismissed as being cold, the blonde came up beside his boyfriend, smiled as he looked up and greeted him, and sat down beside the slowly dwindling fire.

Axel gave him a quick peck on the lips. "I wish this could keep burning all night. Is there anymore wood?"

Roxas grinned. "Oh, there's wood alright. But none we can use." When the redhead blinked at him, he added, "Unless you're into that kind of thing, Pyro."

A smack on the head promptly followed, but it wasn't hard. The complete deadpan look on his boyfriend's face ultimately made it worth it.

"That was terrible. Never again, you hear me? Never again." Roxas chuckled.

"Yeah yeah. You're still hear, so you must love it."

Axel rolled his eyes. "Only when it's not hinting at cutting off my junk and setting it on fricking fire. Seriously, no man should laugh about that kind of stuff." Roxas answered with a snort. "Of all the awful puns you could have used, you picked that one. Now, other bad jokes I can stand." The redhead's eyes turned lusty as he ran his hand smoothly over his boyfriend's thigh. "Especially if you're offering something. "

The shorter man swatted him. "Don't start. The cookies will be done in five minutes, and I'm not going back to the table like that."

"Fine. Grinch...Hey, by the way, was that what you were trying to frost on that cookie? Because it looked like a deformed keebler elf. Or Oscar from Sesame Street caught in a hair dryer. "

Roxas stuck out his tongue. "You're just jealous of my artistic talents."

Axel chuckled, earning him another playful glare. "Whatever helps you compensate, Roxy."

Banter between the two of them always went like this. Awkward, always, crude, and just plain dumb. But these were the moments Roxas cherished most. Like with Christmas, the simple things really made it feel special. But he couldn't help but worry his lower lip slightly, even snuggled up by the fire in the arms of the greatest guy he'd ever met. Was he willing to risk all this? Would...would what he was about to say somehow change things?

"You know, Roxy-"

"Hey Axel, I was-"

The two blinked at each other in the low light, and each slowly broke into a grin. "Somethin on your mind, Roxy?" Axel offered casually, though Roxas didn't miss the slight darkening of his cheeks. Or the slight, nervous quiver in his voice now. Had he not been so hypersensitive with nerves, the man could have easily missed that. "You go first."

"You sure? It wasn't anything...too important." When his boyfriend remained silent, rubbing his wrist absently, the smaller man frowned, his own worries momentarily forgotten. "Seriously, what's up? I can wait."

Axel nibbled his lower lip now, earning a curious look from the smaller man. "Well...eh...I was just..."

"Yeah?"

"See the thing is..."

"Are you going to say something, or can I?" Roxas said, narrowing his eyes a little. There was only so much testing his patience could endure tonight.

Axel chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. "It's uh, hard to say. Don't rush me, kid, you know how crappy I am with words sometimes."

"Which one of us is going first?"

"Uh, how about-"

"You!"

"You!"

Roxas groaned, raking a hand through his choppy hair with a tired sigh. It was almost comical, but not really. He'd been working on keeping his cool all night, and now, instead of just getting it over and done with, and having that be that, he was dragging it out and snapping at his boyfriend to boot.

"Fine."

In a rush of words, they spoke together.

"Will you marry me?"

"Would you move in with me?"

Axel and Roxas gaped at each other, speechless at first. Finally the thought came to them to try and talk through it out loud, but by that time, neither one was paying much attention to the other.

"Get married?" Roxas laughed breathlessly, the tiniest smile curling at the corners of his lips as he heard a similar muttering just a few inches away. He finally had the nerve to meet Axel's gaze, eyes shining with new joy. "You mean that?"

"Of course, Roxas. I mean it with all my heart." Sweaty, shaky hands clasped his and drew them out between them. Warm hands pulled him to his feet, as he gazed up into bright green eyes. "You're one of the nicest guys I've ever met. Your also handsome, cute, wicked smart..."

"Funny?"

"Sometimes." Roxas could practically see a twinkle in those green eyes. "The harder you try, the worse it is."

The blonde chuckled softly. "But you love me that much anyway?"

"Yeah!..." After a short pause, the taller man spoke again. "And y-you? You were going to ask me to...to move in with you?"

"Well, yeah. I told you about looking at places that one time." Part of it was the exhaustion of living at home with his mother and brother. Roxas was ready to move out of the house, and now, after some time since school, he'd finally saved up enough cash to get an apartment. Either that, or the second option he'd considered recently, which was to move in to Axel's tiny place and split the rent half way. But up until tonight, he hadn't been sure the redhead would be cool with that. "I thought we could, you know, get a place together. Live like a real couple for a while."

His boyfriend's face fell slightly. "So...so does that mean...you don't...?"

Roxas shut him up with a firm kiss, tugging his hands out of those larger warm ones so that he could gently cup that face. It was firm and reassuring, but as he pulled away, he held that face a few minutes longer, looking at him with mild humor. "Not yet. Let's take it a little slower, Axel." Another, quicker kiss. "I love you. Let's try living together for a little while before we make the big jump. See if my morning breath doesn't completely put you off. Important stuff like that."

Axel laughed. "Yeah. That'd suck if we did it, only to break up for something like that."

The blonde smiled. "See if you can stand a week of me. Then a month. Then maybe a couple more. If you're not screaming and begging and dragging me out the door by then, sure, I'll marry you."

With a big grin, Axel pulled him into his arms and spun him in the air. Roxas snorted and rolled his eyes, wrapping himself around the taller man and squeezing him within an inch of his life. In all this time, Axel had never made his so happy as he was right now. The blonde was sure that in no time, he'd be able to keep that promise.

When Axel set him down again, he fished a small velvet box from his pocket. His boyfriend couldn't keep his eyes from watering a little as a small, golden band was slipped onto his finger. "Just, you know, in case," Axel reasoned, smiling that dopey, idiot grin Roxas had always hated and loved.

"I hear ya. Think it's gonna be that easy?" he smirked, raising an eyebrow at the cocky redhead. Axel nodded like a bobble head.

"Ye-ah! How could you ever get tired of this? Look at these gorgeous muscles!" He flexed arms and posed dramatically, earning another eye roll.

"Humble, too. You're a real winning combination, you know that Axel?"

Another soft kiss met his cheek. "Hell ye-ah."

"Guys, come back up stairs! Quick! It's snowing!"

"Snow? Where?" They heard Demyx call excitedly.

"Out the window, dipshit!"

"Sora!"

"Sora, be nice!"

The boys chuckled, meeting each other's eyes again with mirth.

"See what I have to live with here?"

Axel ruffled his hair softly. "Poor baby. Don't worry, I'll take you away from it all. You'll be safe with me."

"Safe my ass." Roxas snorted, but he leaned into the gentle touch happily, hoping that soon enough, he could feel it everyday. The blonde was about to pull away when he felt a slight squeezing pressure on the ass in question, and slapped his boyfriend on the offending arm.

"Careful where you put that thing. One of these days you might just lose it."

The redhead choked a laugh. He knew there was no real malice in those words.

"Let's go join everyone else. We can tell them the good news."

The smaller man couldn't help but smile, seeing the light in his handsome boyfriend's eyes. He also couldn't help but look down, seeing that little ribbon of gold glimmering on his finger. Like the holidays, and like his relationship with Axel, it was so much more than it seemed. So much better, in the simplest, almost inconsequential ways.

"Sure." And hand in hand, they left the crackling fire, both determined to make this the best Christmas ever, and the start of many great ones to come.


End file.
